Tag Zoran Tošić

Between £5 – £8 million will flow into the Glazers’ financial black hole when Serbian winger Zoran Tošić is sold today Russian outfit CSKA Moscow. Tošić, who spent much of last season on loan at Cologne in the Bundesliga, joined Manchester United in a £17 million deal alongside fellow Serb Adem Ljajić 18 months ago.

Although Tošić has stated a preference to remain in Germany, financial considerations almost certainly dictated that a move to the Bundesliga – save for a late bid from Bayern Munich that did not arrive – was not viable. CSKA, incredibly still backed by the Russian Ministry of Defense, have no problem meeting United’s fee or the player’s financial demands.

Tošić, 23, made just five substitute appearances for United in his time at the club, with United taking a £3 million loss on the player.

“We made him an offer to stay,” said Cologne director Michael Meier.

“But the sums of money put before him make it hard for any German club to compete. But, in the end, there are only winners in the deal.

“We stayed in the league thanks to Tošić, Zoran was able to show his form and is at the World Cup and Manchester United can achieve their asking price.”

Another player on the move – on loan at least – is Senegalese striker Mame Biram Diouf, who has failed to make an impact at the club since his arrival from Norwegian side Molde in January. Injury, competition for places and time required to settle in a new country have limited Diouf’s first team chances to just five appearances, scoring once against Burnley at Old Trafford in January.

With Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Owen, Federico Macheda, Danny Wellbeck and new signing Javier Hernandéz on United’s books, Sir Alex Ferguson has plenty of forward options for the new season. The Daily Star reports Birmingham City and Bolton Wanderers interested in taking the 22-year-old forward on loan for the season.

Other players set to leave on loan this summer are the aforementioned Wellbeck, who may return with Matt James to Preston North End, and French winger Gabriel Obertan who is heavily linked with a short-term move to Glasgow Rangers.

A slew of other fringe and youth players will also leave on loan in the coming season.

Rant’s continuing ad-hoc round-up of the summer’s transfer news, gossip and reports from around the web. In today’s very special everybody’s leaving edition.. Manchester United misfit Zoran Tošić (remember him) plots life elsewhere, Dimitar Berbatov is a wanted man and Ben Foster aims to resurrect a dying career in the Midlands.

Tošić: I want to stay at Cologne
“I would like to stay at the club. The most important thing for any player is regular first-team football and I like Cologne, but I know any decision on my future will only be made in the summer,” said the 23-year-old Serbian winger. Tošić, who cost United £6 million almost 18 months ago is currently on-loan at the Bundeliga club after featuring in just five games for the club.

Dimitar Berbatov wanted in Milan
The Italian giants, who United knocked out of the Champions League this season, want Berbatov and will pay up to £20 million for the much criticised Bulgarian. Although Milan, desperately short of cash and seeking to offload star striker Pato, seem unlikely suitors a source told the Sun a bid is forthcoming.

“No contact has been made yet but we admire Berbatov,” said the unnamed ‘insider’, not believed to be Russell Crowe.

“He is a strong player who would do very well in Italy. Whether something can be arranged remains to be seen. It has been difficult for Berbatov in Manchester but he is a good player who has a lot to offer.”

On no he isn’t: agent
“The situation is clear, the future of Dimitar would still be at Manchester, he is happy there,” agent Emil Dantchev told Calciomercato.

“A difficult relationship with Ferguson? I cannot and don’t want to comment on these speculations from the press.

“I can only say that I have not scheduled any meeting with Ferguson, because there is no need.

“I have read the article on Milan, I can just say that it is a market rumour and it is not real.”

Ben Foster heads to Birmingham
United’s third-choice stopper Ben Foster, England’s number one at the start of the season and now on the metaphorical football scrapheap, will resurrect his career at Birmingham City. That’s if former Sir Alex Ferguson protegé Alex McCleish gets his way with a loan move in the summer.

Haris Vuckic to United?
No Rant doesn’t know who he is either but £5 million bid is on the cards for Newcastle United’s 17-year-old ‘wonderkid’ if the papers are to be believed.

Manchester United winger Zoran Tošić is desperate to stay at the club, despite having made just five first team substitute appearances in a year at the club, according to the Serbian winger. Tošić, 22, was brought to the club in a £16 million joint-deal in January 2009 but United, last week, backed out of a deal for erstwhile team-mate Adem Ljajić .

“Sir Alex has a big squad to choose from and there is a lot of quality in the first-team and the reserves, so I know it’s not easy for me,” the former Partizan Belgrade left-winger told The Telegraph today.

“But I have to look at the Carling Cup and the FA Cup as perhaps my chance to show what I can do and prove myself to the manager.”

Tošić was a substitute in United’s victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the Carling Cup and may figure in United’s forthcoming FA Cup tie against Leeds United at Old Trafford. Despite being placed on an intensive fitness programme at the club, Tošić’s progress has been held back by his slight frame.

“I’m still trying to get used to English football and adapt to the style of the game here. It’s still new for me. The game here in England is very quick, but I am enjoying playing for United and have enjoyed being part of the reserves.

“All of the young lads at United are trying to improve and show what they can do to get into the first-team, so it’s a good environment to be involved in.

“If I can keep playing well and scoring for the reserves, then hopefully that will help me break into the first-team.

“I’ve scored four goals in the last four games for the reserves, so I feel confident and very pleased with the way that I am playing.”

Rumours that the player may leave the club on loan – possibly to Steve McClaren’s Twente Enschede – were scotched by the player’s agent. But Tošić’s future at the club is hardly aided by United’s unilateral decision to cancel the £10 million agreement with Partizan for Ljajić last week.

Manchester United is to cancel the deal for Partizan Belgrade’s Adem Ljajić, according to a reports late last night. United had an option to buy Ljajic, 18, in a proposed £16.5 million double deal with Zoran Tošić sealed last January. But having monitored the right-sided midfielder’s progress the club the club’s hierarchy has executed their option to end the deal.

Confusion surrounded the deal Thursday morning, with Ljajić’s agent claiming that United’s inability to obtain a work permit for the talented midfielder was the only factor affecting the deal. Indeed, reports last month suggested the club is prepared to move Tošić out on loan to make way for Ljajić in the first team squad.

“We had an option to buy the player but, having closely monitored his development over the past 12 months, and taken into consideration the young players emerging through the ranks at the club, we have not chosen to pursue the transfer,” confirmed a United spokesperson in a statement this morning.

The deal for the Serbian pair, normally composed of an initial down-payment followed by further money based on appearances and success at the club, has turned cold though. Tošić has made just five appearances for the club – all from the substitutes bench – in nearly a year at the club. The left-sided Serbian is, seemingly, just not built for the rigours of Premier League football.

Official word emerged from the club Thursday morning, with Darron Gibson and Tom Cleverly – on loan at Watford – now thought of as better options in midfield. United’s deal for Ljajić – which was on a “first refusal to speak” basis – ended after the teenager join the club at Carrington for a number of training sessions over the past year, a United spokesperson told Rant.

The club had sought out a work permit for the teenager but had word that it would likely be declined, even under the ‘exceptional talent’ provisions. A spokesperson told Rant that this provision had been abused in a number of recent high-profile cases.

Even so, United’s withdrawal still represents a major surprise with the teenager often ranked among the very bst European talents in his age group. Dubbed the ‘Serbian Kaka’, Ljajić has become a YouTube sensation since the deal with United cam to light close to 12 months ago. Indeed, Ferguson has been on record praising the special talents of the player as recently as October.

However, Ferguson is clearly pleased with the talent emerging at the club and the rapid progressed made this season by Gabriel Obertan, Antonio Valencia and Darron Gibson.

Ljajić’s agent, Mladen Furtala, added to the confusion in the Serbian press by claiming that the deal could yet be resurrected.

“As far as I know, the only problem is the work permit,” said Furtala.

“Manchester can solve this quickly. Journalists called me, asking what was happening, but I am confident that everything will be OK at best and that from January Ljajic will be officially a Manchester United player.”

Perhaps the last word on the deal comes from Partizan president Dragan Djuric, who claims that United’s crippling £700 million debt is the real reason that the club is pulling out of the deal at this stage. Indeed, with Carlos Tevez moving to Manchester City and Cristiano Ronaldo sold, United’s transfer kitty is a theoretical £100 million. But United has spent little of that money.

“I read the news in our media about the possibility that Adem Ljajić will not go to Manchester,” Djuric told the Serbian media.

“All this is in the field of speculation. The truth is that Manchester United has not yet arranged a work permit to our players, but so far none of them refused.

“Maybe the news came because Manchester United is in financial crisis, but believe me we did not get anything official.”

Ji-Sung Park made a long awaited return in Manchester United’s defeat to Besiktas on Wednesday night. Following a two-month spell on the sidelines with a knee injury the South Korea’s return is a welcome sight for Sir Alex Ferguson and supporters alike. Unsuprisingly, the winger was delighted to make a first Old Trafford appearance since the derby in September.

“It’s good to be back, my knee is 100% OK now and I feel fully fit,” Park told manutd.com.

“We lost against Besiktas, which was a shame. But, for me, I was ready to play after playing twice for the national team.”

“We had many good chances but failed to score. The young players showed great potential. They will be much stronger now because of this experience, and hopefully next time out against Wolfsburg we will be able to confirm ourselves as winners of the group.”

Park, who made 40 appearances for United last season including a starting role in the Champions League final, will now battle it out for a place on the wing with Antonio Valencia, Gabriel Obertan, Ryan Giggs and Nani.

Indeed, Obertan’s eye-catching performance at Old Trafford, and Antonio Valencia’s growing confidence, has placed pressure on the South Korean to hit the ground running.

“Obertan and Valencia are good players,” Park agreed. “But I think I can also put in good performances.”

And while Nani’s form has been so sporadic Ferguson left the Portguguese winger out of matches againast Everton and Besiktas, Zoran Tošić has signalled his intention to stay at Old Trafford. Linked with a loan move to Steve McClaren’s FC Twente in Holland, the Serbian’s agent confirmed that Tošić will fight for his place. The winger scored twice as United’s reserves beat Hull City 2-1 on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Old Trafford insiders are believed to be ready to bring the multi-talented Serbian midfielder Adem Ljajić, 17, to the club in January. Signed with Tosic at the begining of the year, Ljajić was loaned back to Partizan Belgrade to gain experience. But a series of stand-out performances in the Europa League and a run in the Serbian under-21 side means that Ferguson will try for a work permit ahead of a January Old Trafford debut.

Anybody who caught Zoran Tošić’s lively display for Serbia under-21s against the Italian equivalent Tuesday night might wonder where Sir Alex Ferguson has been hiding the boy all these months. Tosic, who was signed from Partizan Belgrade with teammate Adem Ljajic in a £17 million joint deal last January, came to United with a glowing reputation as one of the best young wide players in Europe. But in the interviening months the left-winger has played just three times in the United first team. He came off the bench against Tottenham in the FA Cup, and then again against West Bromich Albion and Hull City in the Premiership. In truth though Tošić has spent most of his time in the reserves in what has hardly been an auspicious start to his United career.

But there is hope for the boy, who played in both central and wide-left attacking positions against Italy at the European Under-21 Championships. Some strong performances for Serbia Under-21s, a good pre-season tour to Asia, together with United’s current weakness in the left flank area, could thrust Tošić into the first team spotlight come the opening match of the season on August 15.

While there will be much talk of bringing in high profile reinforcements following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid, it seems that United are unlikely to recruit at the top end of the market. Indeed Franck Ribéry is much more likely to end up at Chelsea or Madrid this summer. Meanwhile, the other reported target, Valencia’s David Silva, is known to be a target of both Madrid and Liverpool.

As such Tošić is likely to compete with Nani for a left-sided spot, unless Sir Alex Ferguson continues with the failed policy of deploying Wayne Rooney on the left-wing. It’s a problem area for United, with Ryan Giggs, Ji-Sung Park, Nani, Rooney and Ronaldo, having all played there at some point in the last season. However, with Ronaldo gone, Ji-Sung Park embarrassed in the Champions League Final, Giggs nearly 35 and Nani out of form for what seems like the best part of a year, Ferguson needs a solution. Could Tošić provide it?

Being generous, Tošić is allowed a period of adaptation to both United’s training methods, tactics and English football in general. He is also known to have been given a strength building regime, to build muscle size and bulk in readiness for the hurly-burly of the Premier League. However, his lack of minutes on the pitch is worrying. The Premier Reserve League is nothing more than a glorified youth competition these days, and Tošić’s time playing for the reserves will have contributed little to his understanding of English football. Even after six months in England, Tošić may well need a further period of adaptation in the coming season. The question is, with no left-sided acquisitions, can Fergie afford it?